SIM CAREER CONNECT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 4 | 2022 Q1 IN THIS ISSUE
... and more event recaps!
The Top 6 Startup Industries in 2022 Tips to Improve Your Linkedin Profile Hear From Our Students and Graduates!
DIRECTOR'S NOTE DR AARON TAN
Director, Learner Advisory and Career Centre Singapore Institute of Management
Hello everyone! Welcome back to another exciting new year! If you have been following the media, you may have heard about how the economy is improving and with that, job openings are increasing since 2021 as many employers feel a little bit more upbeat compared with 2020. However we note that the recovery is not across all sectors. Employment has been growing in sectors such as information and communications, health and social services, professional services, administrative and support services, and financial services, but those related to travel, arts, entertainment and recreation are still slow at the moment due to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions. How should you navigate all these changes happening in the job market and be successful in landing a job when you graduate? At the Learner Advisory & Career Centre we are pressing on to help our learners by providing career guidance, career skills, and assistance in finding that dream job that you aspire to have. Last year we launched a number of new initiatives and one of them was called the Future of Work Power Up Series that included Live Coaching sessions. In this issue we feature an interview with one of the participants who went through the programme and benefitted. We also recently organised our DREAMS Career and internship fair which attracted more than 80 employers and close to 800 participants. We will share an interview with some of the speakers at this event to give you an insider view of how it went. Besides the above, there are several other articles which I’m sure you will find informative and useful. We really hope that 2022 will be a much better year for all of us! Do continue to take care and stay safe!
MEET THE TEAM
OUR TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME INTERNS
Alex Lee Xin (Designer, Editor) University of London BSc International Relations
Cheok Puey Yeng (Writer) RMIT University BBus International Business
Jordan Tsan (Advisor) University of Stirling BA Sports Studies & Marketing
Koh Xin Hui (Writer) University at Buffalo BSc Business Administration
Lauren Leong (Writer) RMIT University BBus Management
Selvanathan Madhumithaa (Writer) Teo Kang Qi (Writer) Tresha Lakshmi (Writer) University of London University of London Singapore Institute of Management BSc Accounting & Finance BSc Economics & Management Dip. in Banking & Finance
Vanessa Kwa (Writer) University of London BSc Business & Management
Vivian Cheong (Writer) University of London BSc Business & Management
Yau Kai Ling (Writer) University at Buffalo BSc Business Administration
UPCOMING EVENTS Virtual Career Weeks 26 - 28 May 2022 20 - 22 June 2022 RSVP @ qrco.de/unicorn-workshop
ain ops and g h s k r o w Attend to secure the skills job! your first
EMBARK By Tresha Lakshmi & Vanessa Kwa
On 12 January 2022, 20 students participated in EMBARK, an interactive session where many discovered what Career Connect does and offers to SIM students to hone their employability skills. The host shared about Career Connect’s internships and mentorships opportunities such as Project Protégé, Talent Development Programme and Career Champs. These programmes allow students to gain exposure in the working world, improve their soft and technical skills, and build up their network. Career Connect also provides Career Guidance services, monthly workshops and digital resources like Forage, Talented, Graduates First and The Future of Work: Career PowerUp Series by Kinobi. These help to equip students with the necessary skillset for the workforce and provide a career competitive edge. The EMBARK session ended off with a Kahoot! Game to test the participants’ understanding, with the top 3 winners walking away with Starbucks vouchers! We thank all students for participating enthusiastically and hope everyone had some valuable takeaways from the event!
International Student Career Forum (ISCF) By Vanessa Kwa & Vivian Cheong On 6 December 2021, over 30 students participated in the annual International Student Career Forum where a panel of speakers who graduated recently from SIM and currently working in the Asia-Pacific region shared their valuable experiences. Our experienced moderator, Ms Goh Ai Yat, an associate lecturer with SIM for entrepreneurship who also trains SIM students to be career ready, shared her insights with the participants and assisted us in smooth facilitation of the forum. Our speakers, hailing from different nationalities and different industries, addressed concerns that international students in SIM may have. They covered topics such as their education paths, reasons for working in the countries they are in and how they managed to transit into their jobs. Besides that, they also shared tips and tricks on job search and career success with all our participants! Our participants had plenty to take away from the forum and are now equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge for their future career paths! We thank all our valued speakers and moderators for their time and precious sharing, as well as all our participants for joining the forum.
TOP
STARTUP INDUSTRIES IN 2022 By Yau Kai Ling
Biohacking Otherwise known as human augmentation or human enhancement technology Aims to improve performance, health, and well-being of the general public through strategic interventions Comes in many forms: beauty and wellness, tools to track your diet and sleep patterns, futuristic technology e.g. the practice of inserting tech implants under the skin to optimise performances Local startups: Imagene Labs, DexaFit Asia, Cryo Fit
Gender Neutral Fashion People are more welcome to the idea of blurring gender lines, shifting away from traditional social norms “Unisex clothing” now a common term Zara launched an Ungendered Collection in 2016 featuring both hoodies and T-shirts Uniqlo launched Uniform Blue, a collection that aims to style people of all genders with comfortable workwear.
Third Party Logistics (3PLs) Rising popularity of e-commerce fuelling a strong demand for Third Party Logistics (3PLs) Increasing reliance by online retailers on these companies to manage their distribution services i.e. supply chain management, warehousing, consolidation services, and order fulfilment Local startups: Ninja Van, Qxpress
TOP
STARTUP INDUSTRIES IN 2022 By Yau Kai Ling
Veganism and Plant-Based Products Demand for veganism and plant-based products is on the rise, making headlines for their health benefits in recent years Increasing number of startups established to meet that demand How Foods, a foodtech firm, is dedicated to developing ecologically sustainable and nutritious plant-based foods through its RE-GENESYS Food & Ingredient Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform
Healthier Junk Food Rising in demand due to the more health-conscious mindset of the modern person Aims to reduce calories while increasing nutrients, yet still maintaining that finger-licking goodness we all love Yoga Superfuel developed cookies that are rich in nutrition and low sugar content, and are blended with dried fruits and natural sweeteners with low glycemic index (GI).
Public Relations The reach of public relations has advanced beyond traditional advertising Prevalence of social media allows firms to deal a more subtle influence to public perception in their favour The Outsiders Co. is a startup public relations agency that provides its services to firms, from startups to large enterprises, with a comprehensive backend process to ensure that organizational objectives are met
How to Improve Your Linkedin Profile By Yau Kai Ling
Make Your Profile Public Check your account settings to verify that your profile is visible to all This maximises your exposure and increases your professional outreach
Update Your Location Improves accuracy between connections Helps your existing networks to know if they are near you (you may be invited to networking opportunities!)
Be Strategic About Your Endorsed Skills
Create a Customised URL
Add a Background
Update Your Profile Picture
Add key skills that are important for your dream industry Remove skills that are irrelevant to your professional career
Use an image that matches your career goals Enhances your professional image
Update Contact Information List your e-mail and social media platforms Helps to maximise your chances of being contacted by prospective employers
Remove Jargon Summarise your accomplishments in simple terms for others to understand better Include recommendations!
Helps others to identify your profile Essential to achieve your professional networking objectives
Keep your profile picture updated so recruiters are not surprised when they meet you in person
Improve Your Linkedin Headline In addition to current status, add an attribute that can help you stand out Example: "Marketing Undergraduate at SIM" and "5 Years of Marketing Experience with Various Startups"
Get Recommendations From Your Network Recruiters look out for potential candidates through testimonials as well Have past colleagues, supervisors, or even lecturers to post a review
By Selvanathan Madhumithaa & Tresha Lakshmi
On 12 February and 12 March, professionals from various industries conducted live Skills and Interview coaching sessions, where students gained valuable insights and interview tips relevant to their desired fields. Participants walked away from the interactive sessions with a deeper understanding of what careers in each industry entails. Our industry coaches:
Nevin Tan Investment Banking Analyst at Barclays
Stanislas Naresh Nehvin Managing Director at Meltwater
Nigel Lim Senior Brand Manager for Downy Korea (Fabric Care) at P&G
Jefferson Low Quantitative Trader at Crypto.com
The Future of Work: Career Power-Up Series by Kinobi also offers free online courses that allow students to explore industries in market demand: 1) Investment Banking 2) Fast-Moving Consumer Goods 3) Tech Sales 4) Sales and Trading Participants gain true insight into these 4 industries through these courses, which can be completed at your own pace!
Find out more about the courses at https://sim.app.kinobi.asia/
Let's hear from Xin Hui on her experience with Kinobi! "The Live Coaching sessions with the industry professionals from various specialised industries were really beneficial as I got to expand my network with them and the career advice shared was extremely helpful. The interview coaching session stood out to me as the mentors mentioned great tips that I did not know was possible to get my foot into top companies. I would definitely recommend all SIM students interested in these 4 tracks to give this training programme a try!" Koh Xin Hui BSc Business Administration, SIM-UB
Career and Internship Fair 2022 By Koh Xin Hui & Lauren Leong The DREAMS Virtual Career and Internship Fair 2022 was a tremendous success! During the week of 21 to 25 February, 65 participating companies shared a suite of internship and job opportunities with SIM students. The sessions held by companies such as Fairprice, SEA, and KPMG allowed students to gain insights on the companies and industries and receive valuable career advice. The Q&A sessions gave them the chance to interact with employers to clarify any questions they had and presented networking opportunities to enhance their employability. On top of that, many other companies such as Shopee, Procter and Gamble, and Hewlett Packard also had many internship and job opportunities for our students to apply for! What’s more, students who actively participated in the career event had the chance to walk away with gift vouchers in our big lucky draw event!
This year, SIM Career Connect partnered with Kinobi for a one-stop platform for the DREAMS Career & Internship Fair, providing new features which were not available for you in the past career fairs! Craft the perfect resume with the AI Resume Builder that allows you to customise according to job functions
Register for career talks to hear directly from the participating employers on the opportunities available
Apply for opportunities directly via the platform with your customised resumes
Rewatch career talks held by the various companies
Let's hear from some of our DREAMS participants on their experiences and key takeaways from the career fair!
I attended career fairs organized by Career Connect in the last two years and DREAMS provides a platform for students like me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the job scope and what companies look for in their hiring process. Thanks to the speakers, I got to learn more about each company’s culture and opportunities available. The career talk by L'Oréal was the most memorable session I attended as the speakers were enthusiastic in their engagement with students. I have learnt a lot about the opportunities offered and understand which are best suited for my experience and goals. The sharing and Q&A session also allowed me to gain a better understanding of the company culture what the job entails. Sim Chai Yi BSc Business Administration, SIM-UB Year 3
I encourage attending DREAMS as it is an opportunity for students to learn more about the company, explore the career options that are being offered and understand what employers are seeking for in their employees.
I got to know of DREAMS Career and Internship Fair through Career Connect’s social media platform. Some of the talks that I attended were hosted by audit firms such as KPMG, RSM, and BDO LLP. After attending these talks, I have developed a deeper understanding of the accounting industry and know what to expect when I start working. I also got to hear from the hiring managers on what employers might be looking for in applications. I strongly encourage students to attend the career talks hosted by the companies that you are interested in. These talks provide an excellent opportunity for you to ask any burning questions that you have for the companies or industries. You also get to expand your professional network, which will help you understand the different company cultures.
Lim Xue Li BSc Accounting and Finance, SIM-UOL Final Year
Some of our SIM graduates and students participated in DREAMS as representatives of participating employers to share their experiences working in the respective companies. Let’s hear from 3 of them as they share more about their experience speaking at the fair, as well as some tips they have for SIM students!
Your current role and responsibilities My role as an Assistant Store Manager is to achieve our goals with regards to achieving sales, customer satisfaction, and staff development. I work closely with the store manager to lead a team of 30 people to ensure smooth daily operation. My day-to-day task includes planning and monitoring the sales plan, managing the store’s inventory and layout, and engaging with prospective new hires during new hire interviews.
How was the experience for you during DREAMS where you represented your company to share with your juniors/peers? The experience was good and exciting. I was so happy that I could share my experience and answer the participants’ interest in UNIQLO and the UNIQLO Management Candidate (UMC) program.
How did you manage to stand out from the rest of the candidates during the interview and gain the offer? Firstly, I equipped myself with full knowledge about UNIQLO and the job scope I applied for, which was the UMC program. Secondly, I did some research on other people’s experience so I could get some exposure on what the possible interview questions were. Lastly, which is the most important point, I was just being myself. I confidently and proudly shared my experiences, achievements, and all answers without hesitation.
Jesiah Baruch Assistant Store Manager (Paya Lebar Quarter), UNIQLO Bachelor of Business in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, SIM-RMIT Class of 2019
What are some advice and tips you would give to your juniors who aspire to work in the same company/industry? My tips are to just go for it and be yourself. Retail is a fun yet challenging industry to experience. UNIQLO itself is a good company which I think is especially suitable for fresh graduates who wish to learn a lot of things, take on challenges and explore the diverse career opportunities.
Your current role and responsibilities My role mainly involves implementing regional guidelines and driving projects to optimize influencer marketing processes. I also work closely with the markets to generate reports in ensuring business compliance, track performance & ROI, and benchmark our share of influence in the region.
How was the experience for you during DREAMS where you represented your company to share with your juniors/peers? It was heartening to see the juniors so driven and participative despite it being virtual. Almost everyone got the quizzes correct, which means they came prepared! I am thrilled by the opportunity to share as an alumna – I have come full circle, from organizing past DREAMS to now representing my company to speak at DREAMS.
How did you manage to stand out from the rest of the candidates during the interview and gain the offer?
Mabeline Tung Media & Marketing Apprentice, L’Oréal SAPMENA CDMO Team Bsc Business & Management, SIM-UOL Class of 2021
My hiring manager was pleased with how I demonstrated my eagerness to learn and grow at L’Oréal, as well as my passion for the role and the industry. I also attribute it to my transferrable skillsets from past experiences, such as stakeholder and project management.
What are some advice and tips you would give to your juniors who aspire to work in the same company/industry? You must research the role you are applying for and display qualities that highlight to the hiring manager your drive to learn the job responsibilities and the agility to overcome challenges! Adopting a growth mindset is critical, especially in a fast-paced industry like beauty/FMCG.
Your current role and responsibilities I am currently a Regional Talent Acquisition Intern at Ninja Van. I mainly support the Talent Acquisition team with intern recruitment and talent mapping through our channels to build and maintain a healthy pipeline. I also participated in employer branding engagements such as career fairs and talks with universities.
How was the experience for you during DREAMS where you represented your company to share with your juniors/peers? It was exciting for me to be a part of DREAMS as I was delighted to share more about what I do and how I managed to land an internship in a great company. It was fun sharing about my experience and learning points during my time at Ninja Van.
How did you manage to stand out from the rest of the candidates during the interview and gain the offer? Sharmaine Sng Regional Talent Acquisition Intern, Ninja Van Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, SIM-UB Final Year Student
Prior to the interview, I did some homework and researched on the company and the role I was applying for. I also prepared basic questions beforehand as a form of practise for myself so that I would not stutter during my interview. While the interview was in session, I maintained a good posture and kept eye contact with my interviewer.
What are some advice and tips you would give to your juniors who aspire to work in the same company/industry? Conduct some research before your interview and always leave a great impression so that your recruiter remembers you. Don’t be afraid to try new things and always challenge yourself to do more. You have a lot of bandwidth to learn and grow your potential so try not to limit yourself.
CROSSWORD 1
2 3
3. One way to improve your LinkedIn profile is by making it _______. 7. One of the industries that Kinobi offers in ‘The Future of Work: Career Power-Up series is Investment _______.
4 5 6
ACROSS
8. One of the top 10 startup industries in Singapore is pet __________.
7
10. Jesiah Baruch managed to stand out by doing some ________ on other people's experience to gain exposure on possible interview questions.
8
DOWN 1. On 6 ________ 2021, Career Connect had its International Student Career Forum.
9
2. Biohacking is biological experimentations done to improve qualities or capabilities of ______ organisms.
10
4. For this year’s DREAMS Career and Internship Fair, SIM Career Connect partnered with ______, where students registered for talks and explored job opportunities offered by different employers. 5. In this year's DREAMS, sixty-____ companies shared job and internship opportunities with SIM students in their desired industries.
Stand a chance to win Grab vouchers! Simply complete the crossword puzzle and e-mail your answers to careerconnect@sim.edu.sg.
6. In February this year, we had our annual career fair called ______. 9. One of Mabeline Tung’s tips for SIM students is to adopt a ________ mindset, especially in a fastpaced industry like beauty/FMCG.
CONNECT WITH US! careerconnect@sim.edu.sg
SIM Career Connect
@simcareerconnect
SIM Career Connect